A Texan conservative Anglican -- yes, a square peg -- ponders both churchly and worldly things and enjoys his new church.

Monday, February 02, 2015

Pre-Lent Thoughts … and Confessions

Yesterday, Septuagesima
Sunday, began the Pre-Lenten season.This season has grown on me in recent years.I’ve found that if I prepare for Lent for only very few days,
if even that, beforehand, it is difficult for me to get a handle on what my Lenten
focus should be.So I appreciate
having two or so weeks to nudge me to reflect and get ready (and to remind me
to finally take down all my Advent/Christmas/Epiphany
lights.)

Since I think my Lenten
focus this year should involve an area relevant to my public conduct, I think I
should be less private than usual about it.

I am convinced that I
should be significantly more careful to avoid giving needless offense.

Yes, that does seem in
opposition to my New Year’s post bravely proclaiming my intent to offend and
offend well in 2015.But actually
my Lenten intent now forming goes very well with that earlier stated intent.For if we are so bold to proclaim truth
and to tear down lies that it offends, it is all the more important that we
avoid needless offense - the truth
offends enough as it is!Therefore, we should otherwise be gentle and winsome to add credibility
to our message lest it be thought, with some justification, that we are just
being offensive, period.And I
confess I have not been nearly careful enough in that regard, neither on this
blog nor in my personal life.

And that includes my life-long
struggle with unrighteous anger, particularly being quicker to anger than to
forgiveness.Another life-long
tendency has been to be so much an individualist that I often pay not enough
heed to “take thought for things honorable in the
sight of all men.” (Rom. 12:17)

And that’s for
starters.So, yes, if you wish to
pray for me as I prepare for and then enter Lent, there is much for which to
pray!Gentle readers, please feel
free so to do.

----

NOTE: Yes, I am aware today
is Candlemas.That I do not have
any particularly edifying thoughts on this glorious feast should not at all be
taken as a knock on it.I should
educate myself more on this day for sure.